Sheikah Charm
by GrimGrave
Summary: As a child, Link doesnt know any better. But right then, at that moment, he feels himself being drawn towards Impa like a moth to the flame - a childish crush developes into a blooming affection over seven years. Link x Impa(Ocarina of Time), rated M to be safe for mature content such as blood and non-graphical adult-themes. Read and Review please!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Legend of Zelda and its characters belong to Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo. GrimGrave does NOT own them, and does NOT make money out of writing fan fiction.

**Sheikah Charm**

_Part 1_

He knew what he had to do. What was in his hands, on his shoulders. A weight of great importance. What had started off as recurring nightmares turned out to be his destiny, a destiny that was a form of a repeated cycle of heroism, a world in the balance and an endless mass of hatred and evil.

The Great Deku Tree had told him of this destiny. Of the true meaning behind the nightmares, and what he had to do. Great faith was put on him as he advanced with sword and shield in hands, braving and besting the horrors of the evil that manifested into the path of destiny. For his efforts, an emerald of brightest green was put in his care, as the young boy left the forest behind him. The first leg of his journey was done. He had to walk the rest of the road, through scenery he had never even imagined.

He saw people; grown, tall people, in a civilisation made of stone and wood, barely anything of nature except flowers that served as ornaments for the solid structures. Amazed as the young boy was, he pressed on towards his specific location of destiny, the castle in the distance.

Link, the young Hero, was on his way to brave his fate, unknown to what may lie in store; be it of adventure, horrific dangers, or the ever so fragile bud of love.

**:::::**

He sneaked past the guards. Luckily, Link was able to blend in with the greenery that was around, successfully avoiding the guards that were on lookout for anything that didn't belong to these parts of the castle. As the final man made his turn on the daily patrol, Link got out and dashed towards the chamber.

There she was. Up on a small stone-platform, the princess of destiny stood, unaware of the coming of the hero. He walked up to her carefully, not wanting to frighten her until she spun around in shock. The two pairs of crystal blue eyes met, and for a brief second, it was silent.

That's when things took a calmer approach. They introduced themselves, forming the bond that Zelda, a long time ago had with the ever-returning Link. The dreams, the destiny that they were part of were expanded, and the two young children held a promise; they would save Hyrule. Even if Link was alone against a world of monsters, traps and a horrific evil, even if Zelda couldn't convince her father or anyone else. They would not let the man in black armour have his way.

"One more thing..." Zelda said with a smile. "Take this letter… I'm sure it will be helpful to you."

"What is it..?" Link replied. He eyed the paper puzzlingly. "This letter will allow you access to the mountain grounds outside the small village of Kakariko. Show it to the guards. They won't deny you access."

Link smiled at her with great admiration. He carefully folded the letter and put it in his pocket. "Thank you Zelda..."

The young girl smiled back, a giggle escaping her lips as she did. "It's the least I can do. My attendant will guide you out of the castle. Don't be afraid to talk to her."

"Your attendant..?" Link asked. The princess motioned with her hand towards the courtyard entrance, averting Link's eyes towards it.

In that instant, he felt his heart skip a beat. A tall, slender figure stood at the other side of the courtyard as if she was waiting for him. He felt drawn to her, like a moth to the flame, and he slowly made his way. As Link approached her, he could make out the muscular arms and body, the silvery-white hair and those piercing red eyes that were stern, but compassionate.

He felt his body grow warm. For the first time in his life was he observing a womanly figure. All he had known was the girls of his age, the furthest extent of them being cute. Even Zelda was just cute in his eyes, but this tall figure of a woman had such a strong presence around her. An aura of command and mystique, concealed in womanly features.

She stared right at him. He felt like flinching under her firm gaze, but he remained strong, holding his ground. "So you're the boy the Princess foretold huh?" She finally spoke. Her voice was one of experience, mature and stern. Link managed to nod, afraid that his voice would betray him. "A pleasure to meet you lad. I am Impa of the Sheikahs. I am responsible for protecting Princess Zelda. Everything is exactly as the Princess has foretold." Her neutral face broke into a small smile. That small smile, simple as it was, had an effect on the young hero; he felt warmer, as if he stood directly under the sun, his heart beating faster.

"You are a courageous boy… You are heading out on a big, new adventure aren't you? My role in the Princess's dream was to teach a melody to the one from the forest. This is an ancient melody passed down by the Royal Family. I have played this song for Princess Zelda as a lullaby ever since she was a baby." She kept staring into his blue orbs. "There is a mysterious power in these notes… Now, listen carefully..."

Link broke out of his light trance and nodded. Clumsily, he fished up his ocarina, and listened to the Sheikah woman whistling Zelda's Lullaby. A soothing, beautiful piece of notes that was easy to follow. For a brief moment, the two emitted the lullaby together, a moment Link absentmindedly treasured deeply.

"It would be troublesome if you got caught by the guards." Impa said after a little while, having let the boy play the melody a few times to make sure he got it right. The blonde boy looked up at her.

"I'll show you a safe way out of the castle." The woman said with a smile, noticing the boy's small blush. "Follow me."

**:::::**

"You brave lad. We must protect this beautiful land of Hyrule." The tall woman said with a calm voice as she looked over the vast field before her gaze turned towards the east; a great volcano was towering in the distance.

Link looked over in the same direction, unsure of what Impa was focusing on. It was hard for him to concentrate properly when the woman was standing right next to him. There was something about her that craved Link's attention, even now in the face of his great task.

His innocent blue eyes looked over the woman from head to toe; she was tall. Muscled, but slim with sharp eyes that remained soft and gentle in their gaze. Her skin was slightly tanned, not much darker than Link's pale tone. Her clothing looked thin, but appeared to be armored at some locations.

Impa's appeal was prompting Link to stare at her. He couldn't put his finger on it, being the small boy as he was, but there was something about the tall woman. For a lack of a better word due to his limited vocabulary, Link thought the woman to be beautiful. Where Zelda and Saria were "pretty" or "cute", Impa was beautiful.

When the red eyes met his azure orbs at long last, the young boy-hero knew he had stared too long. He quickly averted his gaze with a strong blush, suddenly finding that kicking aimlessly in the dirt was a better way to kill time.

"Lad, are you even listening to me?" Impa suddenly said, curiosity written all over her face. Her gaze seemed agitated, but her voice revealed a calm, soothing tone.

"I…I...Uh…" Link stuttered, still unable to look her in the eyes. He found himself unable to find the right words – his throat felt dry and his body felt warm. His chest ached.

Impa arched an eyebrow at him. "Lad, I understand that this must be too much to take in all at once. But this task was yours to burden, and for Zelda's sake-"

"You're beautiful!" Link suddenly blurted out loudly. He noticed the woman quickly falling into silence, a mere gasp as evidence that she had heard him. He refused to meet her eyes, resulting in him still kicking around. This time on a small stone that was lying around and proved to be a good way to occupy himself.

But it was still unbearable. The young boy felt his heart beating so hard, its internal drumming echoed in his ears clearly. He felt warmer than ever, as if he was wrapped in several blankets. And when the peak of awkward silence was reach, he heard her. A gentle laughter.

She was chuckling softly into her fist with a small but noticeable smile decorating her crimson lips. Link stood still, utterly confused over Impa's behaviour. Had he said something funny? He had only told her she was beautiful; what was there to laugh about? Eventually, after she had calmed down a bit, she glanced over at the boy, still smiling ever so kindly.

"That's very kind of you to say lad." Impa replied, still chuckling a little. "And very cute. Thank you." She reached down with her open palm, sneaking her fingers under the green hat to ruffle the blonde hair in a friendly manner. The boy seemed to initially wince at the rough action, but quickly grew used to it. The Sheikah smiled down at him.

"As much as I do enjoy a compliment every once in a while," Impa then said, her soft smile slowly vanishing from her lips as she turned her head back towards the mountains in the east. "- you should not lose focus on your task lad. You have a great adventure ahead of you."

"I...I know." Link replied at first, his voice betraying him momentarily. His response had not come out as confident as he had wanted it to be. He took a deep breath. "I mean, I know that! I… I will find the spiritual stones!"

A single eyebrow arched upright at the remark. Impa watched him with an intrigued smile, allowing herself to chuckle softly once more.

_´Haha… Cute kid. First he spouts out compliments out of the blue and now he is acting like the hero he is… for his age. It's adorable in a way.´ _Impa thought to herself. She kneeled down next to the boy, gently patting him on the shoulder.

"I know you will lad. Allow me to help you be on your way, okay?" She pointed towards the mountains. "See that huge mountain there? That's Death Mountain, home of the Gorons. They actually hold the Spiritual Stone of Fire."

Link stared at the woman with wide eyes. "Really?"

Impa nodded. "And at the foot of the mountain you will find my village, Kakariko. That is where I was born and raised. You should talk to some of the villagers there before you continue up the mountain."

Link nodded eagerly, wanting to give the woman a proper answer, but alas, he couldn't. With Impa kneeling down to his level, Link got a better look on her face; the beautiful face of distinct features that made his young heart beating wildly in his chest and his face hot like the rays of the sun.

And her smell! Being only used to natural fragrances that the forest provided, Link found himself inhaling a pleasant odor he was unfamiliar with; and it drove him crazy. Again, he couldn't put his finger on what it was, but it was foreign, prompting him to keep breathing in the aroma the woman was covered in.

"The song I just taught you has some mysterious power. Only Royal Family members are allowed to learn that song." Impa glanced back at the boy beside her. "It will come in handy on your adventure, I'm sure. Do not forget those notes lad. Remember that it will help you prove your connection with the Royal Family."

Link nodded again. "Y-Yes! I won't forget! I will bring back the stones! I… I will stop Ganondorf!"

His voice, so soft and light due to his age remained strong despite it all. His small azure eyes were suddenly sharp like icy edges as he clenched his small fists. Impa watched him with vigilance, but it became clear to her that despite him being such a young boy, he had the attributes of a hero that lied dormant within him. After all, he had sneaked past the guards and collected a Spiritual Stone already, and if Zelda's dreams were of any indication, then this was certainly the chosen person.

The Sheikah nursemaid couldn't help but to feel a smile surfacing on her lips as she watched him.

"That's the spirit, lad. The Princess will be waiting at the castle for you to return with the stones. We're counting on you!"

"Yes!" Link replied, smiling brightly at the woman. Impa chuckled again, ruffling his hair once more. She couldn't help it.

"And lad… Here." Impa then said. Without warning, she gently pulled away the blonde locks of hair, giving a light kiss on the boy's forehead. The moment of her soft lips touched his skin was enough to make Link feel even warmer than before. His flushed face looked back up at Impa who chuckled.

"For good luck." She said before stepping back, throwing a deku nut in front of them. The second the bright flash was gone, Impa had disappeared.

_´Looks like I will be waiting as well…´ _Impa mused, watching from a safe distance how Link, confused, looked around before finally running towards mountains on his small feet. She smiled.

The boy had a kind heart and an honest personality. Good qualities. A shame that one such as him, who had complimented Impa, was a child.

Though the more she told herself not to think about it, she ended up thinking of nothing but the boy; how he was doing, what was he doing?

**:::::::::**

As the day had passed without as much as a word from the young boy, the princess had been growing distressed and scared. She would wander around aimlessly in the garden or her room, barely speaking to anyone at all. She only ate a small portion of the food she was given, having grown almost antisocial in her stressed out state. When she did talk, it was always about Link; would he return? Had he found the stones? Is he injured?

The fate of the world was in the balance. Impa could perfectly understand as to why Zelda acted like she did. They both trusted Link, but going through each day and knowing what could possibly happen any moment was not easy to do.

While Impa never showed it on the outside, she was just as worried as her Princess. She didn't want to see the boy come to harm. She told herself that they both were making a hen out of a feather – Link would return, and the land would be safe. Ganondorf would NOT get his hand on the Triforce.

That's what Impa had told herself and Zelda. And yet, on that day, it all changed at the speed of lightning.

Suddenly the sky was covered in the darkness of rainy clouds, black as the thickest coal. The castle was in uproar; screams, screams and shouts everywhere. So many voices calling for help, screaming in pain or battle shouts roaring in every direction.

The castle was under attack.

There had not been a single second that has gone to waste. Impa, with Zelda in her arms, ran the entire way out of the castle. Past the guards, the attendants and worst of all the monsters.

It was an escape route filled with screams and blood. The nightmare had come to life. Ganondorf had attacked in hope of gaining his way to the Triforce and the Sacred Realm.

Monsters left and right tried to block Impa's and Zelda's escape, with little success. Even with one arm free, the Sheikah had bested the horrific creatures until they got to the royal stable. A steed would surely help them escape the castle grounds but also the town in a quick pace. Soldiers all yelled in defiance against the monsters, helping the princess escape despite their sealed fate.

_´You were too late lad…´ _Impa thought to herself. The white stallion galloped through the crowds of panicked civilians, defending guards and roaring monsters, unfazed by the chaos that had happened at the drop of a hat.

_´You can still do it lad… I know it. All is not lost yet. But…´_ Impa paused momentarily.

_´I would've liked to see you again. To return in victory. Just one more time._´

As if on a deranged fulfillment of a wish come true, Impa saw it in front of her; something small and green, just on the other side of the drawbridge.

Link.

She couldn't believe it at first. Link had indeed returned, or at least was just about to. But before the Sheikah could snap out of her mild shock, the horse rode past him in a flash. All she could see now was the young boy, covered in surprise as he was left behind, with Zelda throwing her ocarina to him.

The last image of Link she would be able to remember for the next seven years. A hero left behind.

**::::::::**

Years passed. Impa had lost count by now, but she guessed it to be the fourth year now.

Four years since their escape from Ganondorf. Four years of successfully hiding from him and his subordinates. They were currently camping in the thick part of the forest, where their enemies wouldn't be able to spot them.

Zelda, now 14 years old, added some wood to their campfire. She briefly glanced over at Impa, though she remained silent.

"Alright." Impa suddenly said. "What is on your mind princess?"

"…." She didn't respond at first.

"Princess, I know you have something you wish to tell me."

"… I'm worried about Link." She finally said. "We only left him behind back then. Who knows what has happened to him while we ran away?!"

"Calm yourself princess." Impa said. She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I am sure the lad will pull through no matter what. If he was on his way to see us, then that means he must have acquired the stones. And that itself is no easy task."

She paused.

"The boy will do his part, princess. And you must do yours. We may not have stopped Ganondorf where we wanted to, but it is not too late. He does not have the world in his grasp because of the prophecy – and he never will. You and the boy will see to that."

"But…" Zelda looked back at Impa with teary eyes. "I can't help but worry! We don't know for sure if he-"

"Princess." Impa interrupted. Her voice, while not loud to the point of yelling, had been clear.

"Link will be alright. As much as I share your worry regarding him, you must fulfill your own part of the prophecy. After all, when the time is right, Link will return. And you need to be ready for when that time comes. Do you understand me Zelda?"

The blonde girl didn't reply at all, but as she wiped her tears and nodded with a smile, Impa knew. She was a strong girl – she would not let the emotions get the best of her. Impa patted Zelda on the shoulder gently.

"Good. Now get some rest; we have a long day ahead of us, of many that are still left before Link will come back. Starting tomorrow, I will begin teaching you how to handle a kodachi."

"I understand, Impa. And… Thank you."

Impa merely nodded, allowing a smile to be directed at the girl. But as she grabbed a piece of wood and tossed it into the fire, it got lost. Her thoughts returned to the faint memories of the young, happy boy who had first left in good spirits, only to be left behind in confusion.

She felt ashamed. She would've liked to grab hold of his hand, slung him up on the horse and take him with them, but she couldn't for various reasons.

If the legends were true, then Link would be in for a very long sleep. He couldn't have joined them.

Her crimson eyes turned to the dark evening sky. She sighed.

_´Lad… Wherever you are and whatever you are doing… I hope you are alright. We are waiting for you. Zelda… and I. I wish to tell you how brave you are. How good you were on keeping that promise.´_

Impa sighed.

_´As silly as it may sound; I really appreciated your compliment. So… Thank you.´_

**::::::::**

Seven years. Seven, long, years.

Everything had changed. No matter where he looked, Link found nothing that had remained the same. Time was a cruel thing in the wrong hands.

The market town lied in ruins. The vibrant town that was once bloomed with life was now infested with monsters, debris and gloom. The proud white castle that had stood in the distance was replaced with a single black spire that pierced the corrupt sky of deviant colours.

The field had remained the same, though poes now roamed and attacked on random wherever you went. It was a mockery to its former tranquillity. The forest had grown gloomy and vicious, forcing the Kokiri children into hiding. The mountain now lived up to its name and the pure, rich lake had nearly gone dry.

Nothing had remained the same.

And yet, Link had found a glint of hope, of life. Kakariko Village, once a quiet village, had now become filled with people from the market, each with a separate goal of making it better for them. A change, but a positive change at that.

Kakariko had become his sanctuary – the one place where Link could truly relax, where there was people and life all around him. Where he could occasionally take a break from his adventures through the woods, the mountains, the water and the sand. Where he could forget about it all and just sleep, allowing him to dream of fond memories that had never left him despite the seven years.

The embarrassment he endured when he, a boy of 10 years old blurted out to a grown woman that she was beautiful. And her reaction; the laughter, the kind treatment and the soft kiss that had landed on his bare forehead.

Link would never forget. Not a single memory of Impa the Sheikah went lost. It was all still with him, for these seven years. He may have been locked in sleep for those years, but the memories had never faded; they had matured, as he had, into something more. Gone was the childish crush on a beautiful, motherly paragon. Link, the young Hero of now 17 years old had never forgotten Impa, and his feelings were now morphed into a blooming affection that yearned for Impa in the platonic _and_ physical love.

Staying with the Cucoo Lady named Anju from his childhood, Link shared roof with her with non-other than Impa's house. She had left her house open for the public as she wasn't there. No one knew of her whereabouts since that day and it had left Link in dismay. He had hoped to at least find clues of where she was, but she remained gone – a memory from his childhood.

Until that one day when he got back to the village, only to see it in flames.

"What..?! No! NO!" Link cried out, rushing towards the village. The flames licked high, the smoke lingered above, and the people panicked – a familiar sight for his azure eyes.

"Link!" He heard a voice call. Looking up ahead, the young blonde spotted one connection he had left towards Impa.

"Sheik! What has happened!? Everything is-"

"Stand back Link! It's about to break loose!" Sheik shouted back. Just as she did it, the wooden columns above the well behind her shattered, chunks of them flying in every direction. A low, but unnatural growl emitted from the well, just as Sheik suddenly was lifted up from the ground by an invisible entity, throwing her around.

"Sheik!" Link screamed, rushing to her side. The Sheikah woman roughly swayed from side to side in the air until she suddenly flew away towards the ground. Link ran as fast as he could, and just in time managed to catch the falling Sheikah in his arms – the impact forced him down on the hard ground instead, but it was worth it.

"L-Link! Watch out, it's coming again!" Sheik shouted at him, prompting him to turn around. All he managed to see was a large shadow on the ground that speeded towards him, before suddenly grabbing him and tossed him around as well.

Whatever it was, the monster had a strong grip – it nearly crushed the Hero before he was thrown away into a nearby wall. The shadow growled yet again before vanishing into the well.

"Are you alright Link?!" Sheik asked as she ran up to the hunched over form of the Hero.

"Ouch… What… In the world was that…?" Link asked. Sheik helped him up to his feet, her red eyes wide with horror.

"There is no time to explain Link! It used to be imprisoned in the Shadow Temple but the seal has been broken! We should be glad we got away with some rough treatment and a few burning buildings!"

"The buildings! Sheik we need to-!"

"**I **will take care of the village Link! You need to head over to the Shadow Temple, located behind the graveyard! Link, Impa is the final Sage! You have to help her!"

His clear, blue eyes shot up with disbelief. "I-Impa…?"

Sheik didn't reply. "I will teach you the melody that leads you to the infinite darkness that absorbs even time – Hurry! Impa needs your help Link!"

The green-clad Hero quickly nodded, clumsily getting up his ocarina. Despite the chaos that was going on around them, the pain of his sore limbs and the concentration he put down to play the eerie melody, Link could only think of one thing now. He had finally found a lead to Impa!

He would be able to meet her! After seven years, he would finally meet Impa again!

The adrenaline coursed through him. With the new melody echoing in the air, the purple light finally took him to the entrance.

And Impa would be on the other end.

**::::::**

She heard the shadow move. It slithered on the ground like the dark being it was, roaring loudly as it hid in its concealed form.

It reeked of blood. Musky stone and dampness. Just like the room. A room with a single person and a broken blade.

_´So you finally broke free huh…´ _Impa mused. _´I knew you would, one day. Though I had hoped it would not be under this lifetime. Because I probably won't be able to seal you away again.´_

She chuckled in the darkness. The stench grew stronger.

_´I had hoped to see the young lad again. And now you will deny me that joy, fiend. Alas, I will at least go with a smile, knowing that he will eradicate you in my place. You just wait.´_

She felt the shadows thicken around her. It was close.

_´Link… Wherever you are and whatever you are doing… I hope you are well. And… Look out for the princess.´_

At the blink of an eye, everything suddenly felt like nothing. No pain, no touch, nothing.

Everything had turned black.

* * *

An idea I have had for a while now, finally put into text.

Review please - I would deeply appreciate if you gave me feedback. =)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Legend of Zelda and its characters belong to Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo. GrimGrave does NOT own them, and does NOT make money out of writing fan fiction.

**Sheikah Charm**

_Part 2_

Link felt a sharp, lingering chill down his spine. He swore that he heard faint cries and screams in the distance, whispering echoes of laments. The thick air inside the temple reeked of decay and a copper-like scent that he presumed to be old blood.

His boots had become damp with old, grimy water that was scattered in puddles all over the ancient temple. His sword and shield, once bright and clean were now stained with filth and oily blood of the monsters that inhabited this foul place and the temple itself was indeed living up to its name with its fear-inducing atmosphere and lack of light. Link could at times barely see the hand in front of him as he moved on through the darkened mists.

The temple was putting him through a test. All temples before had done the same, but the fear and terror of the Shadow Temple was the toughest; wherever Link went, the presence of there was someone behind him never vanished. Like invisible eyes kept looking at him with a malicious hunger which he couldn't even see with the Lens of Truth. Navi and monsters aside, Link never shook off the feeling of him being stalked.

The place of Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred indeed.

The fear that was creeping after him like a second shadow, the stench of corruption and decay that burned his nostrils and the faint whispers of gruesome warnings all threatened to break him. He figured he would most likely lose his mind if he spent too much time here, if he didn't find the monstrosity that inhabited these ruins.

That had been his thoughts until he had fallen down the hole. Now, he knew for sure.

The horrible beast, known as Bongo Bongo, was upon him in a small arena that was even further down below the surface of the earth. The drum-arena was surrounded by poisonous, purple water and the walls stank even worse of rotting odour.

The Phantom Beast roared through its body, lacking a mouth. Its disembodied hands twitched and hovered around, knuckles cracking loudly from the unnatural stiffness as the invisible body clung onto the ceiling. A dark, twisted body of blackened sinews and a visible, outlying spine that connected all the way to the core; a single, pupil-less eye, the colour of blood.

Link was stuck in place at the sight. Through the Lens of Truth, he was able to see the deformed body of the beast, a sight that was best described as a nightmare of no name. The eyelid was spread out around the eye like an ebon flower, giving birth to images of twisted flowers worthy of the evil that seeped through the land of Hyrule.

The Phantom Beast roared again, shaking Link out of his fright. The main body swayed from side to side, but the disembodied hands hovered around the Hero like vultures in the sky. Soon, one of them rushed towards him with great speed.

Despite the initial struck of fear, Link was fast on his feet and equally quick-minded. Acting on instinct, he drew his bow and fired an arrow towards the hand, which immediately recoiled back. The Phantom Beast roared again, now trying to crush Link from above, with Link just barely able to jump out of the way. The slam caused the drum-arena to bounce along with Link.

"If it worked for that hand," He said to himself, aiming another arrow. "then it might work for this one too!"

The arrow flew through the air with great speed, but the hand hovered upwards just in time. The arrow struck the stone wall with a light clang before falling into the liquid, but Link aimed again. The third arrow missed again as the disembodied hand circled around him, fingers twitching and jerking like the legs of a colossal spider.

"Damn it!" Link shouted as the fourth arrow missed. "Hold still!"

Another thump from behind him caused Link to bounce on the arena. He spun around to see the other hand having recovered and rose up into the air once more. As if the beast was sentient, its roar almost sounded mockingly in Link's ears. He was back to square one.

The open palms now slammed down across the drum, either trying to crush Link with sheer strength or sending him bouncing off into the polluted water. Link dodged as best as he could when the arena wasn't moving, but the dark hands gave chase; he could feel the crimson eye staring right at him wherever he ran, its gaze of hunger for murder not going unnoticed. The beast was bent on engulfing Link's life in eternal shadow, another spirit that would forever be chained to roam the halls of the hidden Shadow Temple.

_´Its next to impossible to even aim at those hands!´ _Link thought bitterly as he narrowly avoided another hand. _´If only I could get a better foothold for just a second!´_

An idea sprung to mind right then. As he once again jumped out of the way of the falling palms, Link readied his bow as he fell onto his back – with proper timing, he could fire an arrow from his position before the hand began moving again.

A small grin adorned his lips as the hand jerked at the piercing arrow. _´One down!´_

With the little light that was provided in the room, Link's victorious smile faded as the shadow hovered above him; the second hand was about to slam down upon him. He quickly prepared another arrow, and released it.

The arrowhead pierced deeply into the dark flesh as the hand's speed came to a drastic halt. It was stunned, and judging by the Phantom Beast's roar, the pain was not easy to ignore. Link quickly got up, now with another grin, and kept his focus on Bongo Bongo itself, who circled its massive body around the Hero. Though the eye lacked emotion, the constant, unblinking attention towards Link seemed like a glare; a sentient hatred that kept focus on Link until the body finally lowered itself to the floor.

And charged towards him. Link aimed his new arrow towards the beast, standing his ground dauntlessly.

For a brief second, nothing but red filled Link's field of vision as Bong Bongo came at him when Link released his arrow, hitting the centre of the massive eye. The bulky body immediately ceased its assault and collapsed backwards. Link knew of his chance; the beast was vulnerable!

The Master Sword seemed to faintly glow in the darkness as he raised it high. His aching legs carried him with swift steps as he charged the stunned monstrosity, giving off a roar of his own as he jumped forward. The hilt was tightly clenched between his hands as he tilted it backwards and, with all his strength, swung it forward.

The equally dark blood sprayed into the air. The sound of sinew, flesh and gooey substance getting cleaved bounced off the walls in a haunting echo followed only by the painful roar of Bongo Bongo. The massive hands flailed across the drum.

Its gargantuan body went into convulsions with each frenzied roar, thrashing about until it just stopped. Slowly, the entire monster was melting into a dark blue powder that vanished into the darkness.

Bongo Bongo, the twisted spirit of shadow, had been defeated.

Link couldn't help but to grin over his victory. The oozing blood dripped from the Master Sword's edges onto the floor. His legs ached more than ever, but he didn't let himself fall down just yet. Navi circled around his head, cheering him on with congratulations as the small pool of light emitted from where the phantom had fallen.

**:::::::**

Her crimson eyes slowly opened up again. The eyelids felt heavy, like she had been asleep and awoken too early. That's when Impa fully realized that she was once again able to feel.

She felt tired. Her entire body was nearly numb, though it slowly recovered it seemed. There was no breeze, yet it felt cool and refreshing, wherever she was. It wasn't dark anymore, quite the opposite; it was lightened up. A bright blue light adorned the room Impa was in.

Or wherever she was. The "room" seemed to expend itself endlessly, and upon closer inspection Impa noticed the roof and walls looked like falling water. Like calm waterfalls that functioned as walls, or pillars. She was, apparently, on top of one such pillar.

_´That's right… I died. I died to Bongo Bongo and now… ´_ Impa looked around some more, eyes narrowed. Small pedestals of different symbols, including the one she found herself lying on, decorated the watery surface of the pillar. Impa recognized them immediately.

"Is this… The Sacred Realm…?" She said to no one in particular, though her words were not fallen on deaf ears.

"Indeed, Impa of the Sheikah." A deep, but light-hearted voice suddenly responded, catching the woman by surprise. A bald man wearing a light brown robe greeted her from the centre of the platform, atop of the Triforce-shaped pedestal.

"This is the indeed within the Sacred Realm." He continued to say. "This is the room within the Temple of Light, located in the centre of the Sacred Realm… the Chamber of Sages. And I am Rauru, the Sage of Light out of the Seven Sages…"

"Sages…" Impa whispered to herself in disbelief. She eyed the elderly man with mildly narrowed eyes. "So I have died then."

"Your physical form has, yes. But your spirit is not gone; quite the opposite Impa." Rauru replied calmly. "Your purpose has yet to be served, and while up to this point you have protected the noble Princess of Destiny, your true task is at hand."

Impa's gaze softened. "My true task?" Rauru nodded.

"I will not beat around the bush, Impa. You are the Sage of Shadow. You are destined, along with the other sages, to seal the Evil away and restore the peace to Hyrule."

The Sheikah woman felt her lips curl up into a small smile. She allowed herself a light chuckle to slip past those lips, shaking her head.

"Somehow, I am not surprised. Neither do I have time to idle around with such emotions. However, I thank you Rauru for delivering this message to me."

The elderly man laughed wholeheartedly with a warm smile of his own. In anyone else's eyes, he would have reminded them of an elderly family member with dearest and sincerest of intentions.

"Nearly all Sages have been awakened, Impa of the Sheikah. Ganondorf's end is nigh. You will meet the others in just a little while, but I believe the Hero of Time will have a word with you first."

Impa arched an eyebrow. "Hero of Time-" She quickly paused as she realized. "Link…"

Rauru nodded with a smile before disappearing in a light. The middle pedestal, now empty, slowly began to glow a bright blue light. Impa felt her lips curl back up into a smile as she spotted the green garb, followed by the near replication of the young boy she had met all those years ago.

The courageous young child, who was now a handsome young man, stood before her. For the first time in seven years, scarlet eyes met icy-blue. Impa nearly chuckled at Link's dumbfounded expression.

"Impa…?" He finally said, taking a step further. "Is that really… you…?" His mouth changed into a wide smile. It all came back to him now! The faint memories of the motherly, beautiful paragon from his childhood were just a few steps away from him. She was real! Impa, in the flesh, was right there! No dream, no trick, just Impa.

Link felt his heart starting to pound faster the longer he looked at her. His face was slowly grower hotter, as if he was having a severe fever. Impa had not changed one bit, but from his now mature perspective, Link saw her in a different light. His body responded accordingly, his emotions manifested into true bonds of feelings towards the woman.

She crossed her arms and smiled. The young boy may have grown older, but his personality remained the same, in a cute way.

"The boy with the noble Zelda's Ocarina… As I expected, you have come." She said. "It has been a while lad. It's good to see you again." She nearly broke into a wider smile at Link's joyful expression. It radiated like a column of light, a sight that she had never expected Link to show. Especially towards herself.

"It has been too long Impa… I'm so glad to see you again… When you and Zelda rode off seven years ago, I-"

"I know." Impa interrupted. "Trust me; the young princess felt the same. She was mortified over our departure. Wouldn't go a single day without worrying about you lad."

"I see…" Link's bright smile faded slightly. "A-And yourself?"

The question tugged at Impa's heart. "I remained confident that you would pull through lad. But… I will be honest. You were on my mind as well. And I can finally breathe out in relief, now that I finally have met you again."

The Sheikah woman smiled at the Hero, but it remained short-lived. His expression didn't take a turn for the better as he averted his eyes to the ground; he looked almost depressed. As if he had just heard the most horrible of news and Impa couldn't figure out why that was. Her red eyes kept study him, but she couldn't understand anything from his body language. Link suddenly met her eyes again.

"I…" He began. "That's not what I meant! Impa, I… the time may have gone by at the blink of an eye for me, but this" He gestured at himself up and down. "isn't just for looks. I have aged, Impa. I'm not a child anymore."

Impa remained still, not even nodding. She knew what Link was trying to say, as the memories of seven years ago came to mind. The young child who had complimented Impa of her looks.

"Impa…" Link struggled for words. "Over the years, I have come to love you. Ever since I woke up, I've thought of you. I have been worried about you and Zelda, about everyone I knew from my childhood! But you…" His voice trailed off as he seemed to struggle with words again.

"My thoughts were constantly returning to you. I kept wondering if I would ever see you again, if you were alright… I was even worried at times that you wouldn't remember me. And… Forgive me, I'm not too good with words but… I love you, Impa."

Impa remained in silence at first. Her eyebrows were arched and her lips were slightly parted in her mild disbelief. She had not expected Link to actually declare his love for her; a strong likeness perhaps, but love? It was so sudden, nearly unorthodox and almost foreign to Impa. She had never had anyone compliment her, even less flirt with her. The interest in a partner, or having someone interested in her was so unthinkable that Impa had never really cared for it; she was happy with being Princess Zelda's attendant. And now, both seven years back and in the present, Link had shown interest in her to the point that he admitted his love for her.

And Impa couldn't have been happier. Her heart, isolated from any form of affection was beating loudly with sincere joy that Link of all people had fallen for her. It was almost like a dream!

If only things had been different than the reality that around them. Her heart, now heavy with guilt, sank further into the pit as Impa sighed. Solemn eyes looked back at the young man.

_´You fill this woman's heart with joy lad. You really do.´ _She thought to herself

"Link… I'm flattered, really. I trust that you are sincere and honest and I really am glad for telling me how you feel. It is not because I cannot return those feelings that I say this, but…"

She bit her lower lip. Stoic and brave as she was, telling the truth to such a hopeful young man like Link was burdening her heart with guilt.

"Link, please understand. A blooming love between you and I is… impossible. For many reasons…"

She paused herself, expecting the young Hylian to cry out questions as to why it was impossible. To at least respond to what she had just said. Instead, he just stood there with sorrowful eyes that stared right into Impa's red orbs. Albeit with great hesitation, Impa decided to continue despite the painful expression on Link's face.

"Mainly because I died." She said at first. "I fell to Bongo Bongo, Link. I died, leaving my mortal form of existence behind. For that, I am not "alive". Nor am I properly "dead". My spirit has ascended to the Sacred Realm around us, as the Sage of Shadow whose purpose is to guard the Shadow Temple."

Link still didn't say anything. His face exposed his feelings however, a sight Impa had a hard time to look at. But she had to be honest with him.

As she readied herself to further continue her explanation, Link finally spoke up; his voice was not as steady and stoic as before, but he tried sincerely.

"Don't say that!" He retorted. "There's… There's got to be a way! I don't want it to end like this Impa! Now that I finally have met you again…"

"Link…" Impa said just above a whisper, slowly walking over to the young Hero. Her feet dampened up due to the water surface between the pedestals, but she ignored it with ease. All she cared for was to place her hand on his cheek, nothing and more nothing less, and soothe him. His eyes were almost like cracked mirrors, ready to give in at any second.

Her heart wrenched inside.

"I understand how you feel… And believe me, I wouldn't have wished for this either. But sometimes things do not go as planned, or as you had hoped and sometimes it even is for the better." Impa kept her eyes locked onto Link's without a second of interruption as she kept talking, her thumb caressing his creamy white cheek.

"As an awoken Sage, I cannot leave even if I so wished. Link… My place is here. Just as your place is out there. To protect, to fight… To live."

She forced herself to smile, to laugh a little. Link almost arched an eyebrow at her as she softly laughed.

"Besides, a young man like you could do so much better… I am older than you, you know. Someone closer to your age would be better."

His azure eyes flared up. "No!"

He grabbed his stroking hand within his own hands, still staring passionately into Impa's eyes. "I… I don't want anyone else. Lots of women are nice to me but… Impa, I don't want anyone else! I don't care if you are older than me, I love _you_!"

Impa stared back at the young Hylian in mild shock that was unveiled in her face. It would have been uncharacteristic of her in the eyes of anyone else that knew her well, but she was quite taken back by Link's boldness and honesty regarding her as a romantic interest. To sum it up, she felt baffled. First person to ever show an interest in her as a woman was the Hero of all people!

And yet it all seemed inevitable. Things didn't look too bright at a common future for them.

"Besides," Link suddenly said additionally. "how old could you possibly be with such a beauty that adorns you head-to-toe?"

Her knuckles lightly but swiftly knocked on his noggin.

"You should know that it's impolite to ask a woman her age, lad." Impa said with a small smile. The action had of course not happened out of ill will, indicated by the very light chuckle Impa then sported.

"My apologies!" Link quickly blurted out, blushed over his embarrassment. "But my point is-"

"Your point is loud and clear as lightning, Link." Impa interrupted. "The problem is of another nature. Link, you courageous lad…. There is no common future for us. The life of a Sage and the life of a Hero are too far apart."

"That… That may be true…" Link's answer was low and nearly in monotone, but he slowly lit up with a small, but confident grin. "But I won't give up, Impa. Once Ganondorf has been sealed… once all of this is over…"

He gently squeezed the Sheikah woman's hand. "I will change it so that we have a future together Impa. If I so have to pray to the Goddesses above for another seven years."

He felt her give his hands a light squeeze in return. Her eyes, usually firm and rich with command was now soft and soothing in their gaze. Her lips were trapped in an expression between smiling and grinning as she lowered her head to his level.

"Bold words… But very moving nonetheless… Is that a promise?" Impa whispered. Link nodded slowly with a small grin.

"A promise."

Impa couldn't help but to laugh again. It wasn't directed towards Link for mocking reasons, but he did have that effect on her. She was happy.

"Should you succeed Link… Then I can promise you that your feelings will be returned tenfold." She took another step towards him, bringing the two of them very close to each other as the chamber began to engulf itself in the brightest of white light. The short time they had together had almost run out, and they knew it.

"You better keep your promise lad…" Was all Link heard before the pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around him, pulling him forward.

He felt something slip into the palm of his hand – he clutched onto it instantly. But his attention, his thoughts and even his body was focused on one thing and one thing only.

Impa's lips against his. The kiss, short as it was, renewed any feelings that dwelled within the two. Fierce, fiery and equally passionate.

The taste of a Sheikah, Link's first kiss. It was almost addicting, mostly due to he couldn't put his finger on how to describe the exotically flavoured lips. But Link could describe something; as a child, he couldn't figure out what the enticing aroma that surrounded the stunning Sheikah was, even if it was inviting and pleasant.

He took a light inhale. It was the pleasant fragrance of wildflowers mixed with freshly damp earth from a spring rain.

The warmth of Impa's lips withdrew from his own. Link wanted to pull her back in one last time, but the strong light made it impossible to see. Soon, he wasn't even inside the Sacred Realm anymore.

"I'll be waiting for you then, lad…" Impa's voice echoed in the vast light. "Until then… Please watch out for the Princess…"

_As I will watch over you…_

**:::::::**

Link leant back onto the wooden fence outside the entrance to the Shadow Temple. He stared back up at the sky; dark grey. It would probably start raining soon but he couldn't care any less about the possibility of getting soaked.

He had been there. In the Sacred Realm with Impa! He had been able to see her, smell her. Taste her. And now she was gone again, and most likely forever this time. There was no way of knowing for certain whether they would be able to meet again or not. How would he be able to change destiny? Praying? Hoping?

Or fight with all his might to prevent the evil?

It wasn't a lead. It wasn't even a good suggestion. But it was a start. Link couldn't just sit around and wait for nothing to happen. _He_ promised Impa. _He_ would take matters into his own hands.

Link dusted the dirt off himself as he got up on his feet, now leaning over the fence. The small graveyard, eerie and empty of life, greeted him back.

_´I'll keep my promise Impa…´_

Link looked back up at the sky. With the Shadow Medallion in his possession, and the still faintly lingering warmth and taste of Impa on his lips, he smiled.

* * *

As always, I hope you all enjoyed reading the chapter and that it lived up to your expectations!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Legend of Zelda and it's characters belong to Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo. GrimGrave does NOT own them, and does NOT make money out of writing fan fiction.

**Sheikah**** Charm**

_Part 3_

The salvation of Hyrule was within his grasp.

Through the eerie, haunting melody that echoed throughout the tower Link conquered his enemies. One by one they fell to the Blade of Evil's Bane, burning away in their demise as the Hero pressed on. His heart was beating like a drum, his blood pounding in his ears as he charged forward. His journey had brought him this far, and it was time for the ultimate showdown.

The Iron Knuckles fell to the mighty blade, shredding armour after armour in their wake. Stalfoses ambushed, only to be left in a pile of burning bones as Link struck each strike with a fire of his own; the fire of justice, of courage and of valour. A strong passion to smite the evil that had haunted for seven long years, to end it all.

He blocked the incoming attack with his shield before swiping a deadly strike right back to the lizalfos' midsection. The beast hissed in pain as it fell before Link turned to the second one. It was now that he couldn't be careless. Everything rested on his shoulder at this point.

And yet, all he could think of was Impa. He had sworn that he would change their destinies, that they would be together in the end. Fuelled by her last words, Link fought on with a moment of hesitation in order to set things right.

_**Flashback**_

_The corridor of shadow._

_Across the gaping pits of the shadow corridor, through the tricky puzzles and deviant foes, Link prevailed through sheer courage and determination. Invisible platforms required his risky jumps, with abnormal enemies lurking in the darkness, ready to strike. The light, multi-coloured fog hung in the air like a transparent drape, but it didn't stop the Hero from pressing on._

_He had cleared the other corridors – and each of them had revealed their corresponding Sage one last time, giving Link a final advice or words of encouragement. This spurred Link on, knowing who he would meet again within the corridor of shadow._

_The Lens of Truth helped him with the final invisible platforms, clearing the path to the door that lied on the opposite edge of the gaping pit. _

_Once there, Link gazed upon the orb in the room he had strived for. He would see Impa again, one last time. With that hope ahead of him, Link aimed his light arrow to the centre of the sphere and let it fly. The arrow struck the sphere, and its energies imploded upon the light._

_And then he saw her. Hovering just over ground, the mysterious Sheikah woman smiled down at him with her heart-warming smile, and everything felt well in the world for a second. Link smiled back up at his love with affectionate eyes, eyes that threatened to burst into tears at any given second. Reaching up to Impa with his one free hand, his smile grew wider when her fingers locked her hers._

"_You've come far on your quest." Impa said, smiling. "I'm proud of you lad. Soon, Hyrule will be saved from evil…"_

_Link grinned back playfully, though his eyes were exposing his real emotions. "And we will be together soon Impa…"_

"_By the Goddesses' will…" Impa replied. "Link, you need to consider the fact that it may not happen… And if that is the case then allow me to tell you that… … Thank you for everything Link. Had things been different then I would gladly return your love tenfold…"_

"_Impa…"_

"_Now go, Link. You can't dwell here any longer. The Shadow Barrier is now dispelled, and the road to Ganondorf is cleared! Please, save the princess!"_

"_Oh, yes!" Link replied. "I will Impa!"_

"_One more thing Link…"_

"_Yes?"_

_She hovered down to his level, azure eyes reflecting scarlet. Once they closed, their lips touched, melting into a passionate kiss that spread its warmth through their bodies. They opened their eyes, smiling as they held each other close._

"_No matter what happens after this… Know that I will always watch over you Link. That I will be by your side one way or another. You are the Hero of Time Link, and one day we will be able to meet again." She kissed him again, slightly more quickly than the first one but nevertheless passionate and heartfelt while the room was slowly lit up in a white light._

"_My love will always be yours…"_

_**End of Flashback**_

Those words worked as Link's chant as he fought on, slaying the monstrous minions that tried to stop him. The higher up in the tower he got, the more foes he encountered. All while hearing the melody of Ganondorf's pipe organ echo through the tower that kept taunting him as he made his way up to the top.

A few more Stalfose's appeared before him. One of them began to charge with its usual grunting noise, attempting to land a gushing wound on the invading Hero. Blocking the twisted blade's strike, Link quickly thrust forward with the Master Sword and stabbed the skeletal soldier's rubs, causing it to jump back due to the damage.

The other two circled around Link, as if waiting for their turn – an odd pattern that these skeletal fiends had in common if they appeared in numbers of at least two. Once Link focused on one, the others seemed to observe him, waiting till the first one fell before charging towards him, much like now; the first one of the trio fell into its burning death, and the second one jumped at the Hero.

The Blade of Evil's Bane cut it clean through the skeletal spine, sending the two halves crashing onto the floor in burning ashes. Link narrowed his unfazed, cold glare at the last one before it too rushed towards him. Shield clashed with shield and blades struck above their heads as the two warriors pushed on, attempting to overwhelm the other with sheer strength.

By the end of it, Link knocked the Stalfos down and pierced its unprotected face with the sword. It was just him now, him and the still loud music of the pipe organ. Link sighed deeply in his frustration.

His body ached, and the air was thick and tepid, providing no breeze that could ease the sweat on his brow. He reached into his pouch and picked up one of the four bottles he had and uncorked it, revealing a pink fairy that immediately fluttered around him until it disappeared, but not for nothing – Link could feel his body relax and devoid of any pain or ache, and he was left cool, no bead of sweat upon his skin.

He could think clearly now.

And he ran up the stairs, sword at the ready while ascending the tower. The decorations grew more vivid and artistic with each floor and the long red carpet was still covering the stairs as he ran up. The gargoyles, the torches, even the design of the walls changed as Link got closer, and the pipe organ's sound was deafly loud. As he ran up the last pair of stairs the music was now as loud as if he was standing right next to the source.

Ganondorf was beyond this one door of black stone and golden runes. There was no turning back now. Once he stepped inside, the fate of Hyrule would be decided.

Link took a deep breath. He could feel it. The fear of meeting such an overwhelming power, the terror of losing and doom everyone with shadows. The fear of dying without hope, or the love.

And yet there was the adrenaline rushing through him; the thought of finally having Impa in his arms, in a world free of evil, duties and the separate lives of a Hero and a Sage. Impa's words occupied his mind one last time before Link readied himself and stepped into the room. Once the door fell back down behind him, the wide room greeted him with its radiant golden colour, and the tunes of the pipe organ ringing loudly from wall to wall. And there she was, the princess! Trapped in her crystal-shaped prison while Ganondorf played his music, his only indication of acknowledging Link's presence by ceasing to play.

"The Triforce parts are resonating… They are combining into one again…" Ganondorf spoke with a dark, bellowing voice, devoid of any kindness and instead was filled with apathy. As he spoke, Link felt the warm sensation on his hand; the mark of the Triforce, with his part glowing brightly; Courage.

"The two Triforce parts that I could not capture on that day seven years ago… I didn't expect they would be hidden within you two!" His laughter echoed in the room as he finally spun around, the evil gleam in his eyes still present, just like they had seven years ago. His toothy smirk was wide and a sore look in the eyes as he towered over Link from where he stood. "And now, finally, all the Triforce parts have gathered here!"

"These toys are too much for you…. I COMMAND you to return them to me! Once I've become the rightful King of the world, no land shall be safe! No village or city will remain intact! _I_ will crush anyone who dares to oppose me!" His fiery eyes stared down at Link. "You are very brave to stand before me boy, ready to fight for what you believe. If only your countrymen had been as bold. No matter, they shall all fall before my might, once I have the Triforce! Starting with you two!"

The rage burned brightly within Link, but no wasted breath came out in retaliation for the Evil King's speech. With the Master Sword in hand and the Hylian shield raised, Link screamed out his battle cry and charged towards the King of Evil.

**::::::::**

She could feel it. Even from a remote place such as the Sacred Realm, she could feel it. The battle was happening – the fate of Hyrule, and the world, was now being decided through the edge of a blade and the dark ambitions of a monster in human disguise.

Link was now in the greatest danger, and Impa could do nothing more than to hope. To pray for his victory for a future where she could walk beside him once again.

It was a thought that she didn't know whether to cry or laugh about. To think those seven years ago, she was the attendant of the princess, isolated from her emotions and the possible thought of ever having a crush. She had never cared about the idea of having a mate, somewhere beside her – it had always been her and her duty in which she took a great pride and honour in. And yet, Link had moved her, invaded her life and made a little hole in her heart where he could rest – and she wouldn't want to have it any other way.

Still, she feared the worst. The possibility of Link losing to Ganondorf's dark ambitions was a frightening thought, and equally possible. What if Link was not the hero destined to win? What would become of Hyrule then, and the world? What would become of them?

Impa felt her anxiety grew stronger with each passing second, but on the outside she retained her stoic, neutral persona. None of the other Sages could ever even suspect that Impa was the one who was the most worried of them all, and not only for the sake of Hyrule. No one knew of her affection for Link, not even Rauru. Unfortunately, everyone including Impa knew of Ruto's supposed engagement to Link. The Zora princess had not stopped talking about her undying love for the Hero since the Sages had gathered, provoking both Nabooru and Saria who seemed to have some kinds of feelings for the man.

Impa too was annoyed, but she wouldn't show it. Besides, it would be both fun, and depressing, when Ruto would eventually find out Link's undying love for Impa should the Goddesses permit it.

But that was nothing but a last resort to entertainment, or at least a way to occupy yourself as the final hour passed with each minute. Most likely, Ruto kept talking about Link because she was just as worried and tried to convince herself that Link would pull through, to win and bring peace back to Hyrule. She was probably trying to keep the other's spirits up as well by keeping their mind off the main subject, even if it meant that they became irritated about her non-stop talking.

_´Link… Please make it…´_ Impa thought to herself, pacing around the room. Darunia sat idle in contemplation, not moving a single muscle while Rauru tried to calm the tension between the other female Sages.

It was a mental torture to have to wait. With no indication of what was happening, the Sages could do nothing but to wait within the Sacred Realm for either the sign of their time had come, or the dark clouds of a victorious Evil King to bring them to their demise.

It was then that Rauru suddenly tensed up. With a groan, he stumbled to the centre of the room with everyone's attention, clutching the sides of his head in further pain. Nabooru rushed to his side, quickly followed by the equally worried Sages.

"Rauru! What happened?! Are you ill?" Nabooru asked. The elderly man shook his head.

"No, Nabooru of the Sand… But I can feel it… The true battle has begun, Sages. Ganondorf has finally revealed his true self with the Triforce of Power… It is now the world's fate will be decided and by the Goddesses will, we shall banish and seal the evil away on this very day!"

The Sages cheered loudly and joyfully. Their respective cheers for the arriving peace and for Link echoed within the chamber, but Impa remained quiet. Instead, a lone smile adorned her lips as she clenched her hands together.

_´Goddesses of the Triforce above… Please, if you can hear me, watch over Link in his hour of need… Grant him strength to prevail over the evil… I beg of you. Let there be a future for us…´_

**::::::::**

Ruins were scattered all around him. The sickly grey clouds covered the sky, fuelled by the thick smoke of the ring of fire and the dust of the ruins that surrounded Link with its black colour against the unhealthily brown ground. His clothes were tattered and ripped from his earlier battle, covered in thick dust. His body ached again, especially the legs, and his blood kept pounding in his ears that he couldn't think clearly. It had all been because of the monster before him; a large, bulky and grotesque creature that bore little resemblance to the man from the desert.

Ganon. The Dark Beast, the true form of Ganondorf – a manifestation of the dark ambitions and desire he harboured, powered up with the Triforce of Power. The creature roared, swinging its massive swords across the desolated arena in an attempt to cleave the Hero in two; it's tunnel-vision mind was bent on one thing, and one thing only.

Link narrowly dodged the sweeping strike and rolled between the beast's legs. Its multi-coloured tail had proved to be its weak spot due to the lack of thick skin or armour. But the beast built with endurance – each strike proved to be effective against Ganon, but he never fell. He would simply turn around and give chase, bent on killing Link with all his power and might.

Link rolled to the side as the massive sword cut the ground, before landing another gushing wound on the tail. Ganon roared yet again in the pain, but he remained standing as Link created distance between the two, narrowly avoiding any attempted attacks.

It was a repetitive battle in a way but Link couldn't be careless. Ganon's attacks became wilder each time Link managed to wound him, the beast even gave a hasty chase through the arena which could easily crush Link in its rampage.

Link jumped out of the way of the falling edge. The beast roared in animosity, and while Link wanted to grin back at the hideous monster, he couldn't. His body was hurting all over by now, more intense than before.

"How much stamina does he even have?!" Link spat out in irritation. "His tail is bleeding all over already!" And it was true. The bulky tail had lost its multi-coloured shimmering and was now covered in its own blood, leaving a trail across the arena. Ganon smashed the nearby ruins with his swords, causing parts to scatter across the field and forcing Link once again jump out of the way. His shoulders stung with all the rubble that was lying around.

"Damn it… If this keeps up I'll… No! I have to keep fighting! I can't give up now!" Link straightened himself up, eyeing the beast. Ganon growled loudly at him, but he remained unfazed.

"I will end your schemes here demon…" He said with a small smirk on his face. "No matter how big or powerful you become, you always have a limit… After all, you aren't rushing towards me."

As if the beast understood him, Ganon roared again as loud as lightning. Dashed towards the Hero and swung his swords, but the Hero did his already tried and true manoeuvre and rolled between the hoofed legs, slicing against the bleeding tail once more.

The beast cried out in its animalistic roar. The tail flailed around as the hulking beast stumbled forward, crashing against a pillar in the process. The monster had fallen down in its pain!

Link saw his chance. He could strike at its face if he was quick enough – but as he ran up to the other side of the monster, a ray of light struck it, keeping it in place as it kept roaring in its struggle.

"I'm using my power to hold the Evil King!" Zelda yelled out to Link's positive surprise. The princess used her powers as a Sage to keep the beast down, the very sources of light from the Triforce of Wisdom. "You use your sword and deliver the final blow, Link! It's time to end it all!"

As if on cue by the very Goddesses themselves, the Master Sword began to glow. It beamed with a blue light, cleansing the blade of earlier blood. The Hero knew what it meant. In defiance against the King of Evil, and for the justice and righteousness that dwelled within his heart and spirit, Link struck at the beast across its face several times.

First slice cut through the bridge of the monsters snout, and the second across its eye. As Ganon reeled back in pain, he/it rushed forward on his hands and knees one final time.

The Master Sword stabbed right through the hideous face.

The blood gorging roars filled the air as Ganon flailed in his death throes, his blood spraying into the air as he did. It was now over. The fatigue now overwhelmed the Hero. With the beast falling onto its back, the last thing Link saw was a bright light that filled the sky, and streams of different colours circling above.

The purple light caught his attention, leaving a smile on his face as he lost consciousness.

_LINK!_

**:::::::**

There was no pain anymore. No ache, no distress. His body felt light, as if he was floating on the smoothest of fabrics. His mind was blank as he floated through the sea of softness – he couldn't feel anything else. He couldn't think of anything. There was just this serenity that kept washing over him like a gentle rain.

Link could hear voices – gentle, hymn-like voices spoke, but he couldn't make out what they said. It was several of them, each with their own rich voice that seemed so outlandish, but it calmed him nevertheless. It was almost like they were singing a gentle lullaby.

He was soothed, cleansed. All worries and agony had been drained from his body and mind it seemed as he floated around aimlessly. Link didn't know if it was because he couldn't or didn't want to open his eyes, but he saw nothing. Yet he saw everything; a sea of clouds and an endless blue sky.

A gentle breeze caressed his naked skin. He didn't even start to question where he was or what was happening. All that Link knew was that the sensation could be best described as a piece of Heaven itself. He didn't want it to end.

Endless streams of clouds embraced him, trailing across his entire body, and he then he felt it. He was sinking. Slowly and gentle, he began to descend from the sky, and a world below began to materialize beneath him.

Then everything turned into nothingness, the colour of white. And as a sudden instinct, Link bust open his eyes and gasped.

He looked around him. A wooden ceiling was the first he saw, followed by the white covers of a bed around him. He was inside a house, but it wasn't his. It was too large, and it had a second floor. Link recognized the house.

It was Impa's.

Link noticed the bandages on his body as he calmed down a bit. The bruises and minor cuts were still present – the battle had indeed happened, but how had he ended up here?

"A dream…?" He whispered. "No… No, it couldn't have been… But what was that I felt? I swore I-" The azure eyes quickly averted to the side of the bed; they absorbed the image presented before them with shock, but the longer he stared, the more the shock grew into joy. There, beside the Hero in a peaceful sleep lied the Sheikah woman beneath the covers. Her sleeping expression rested against the pillow, serene and undisturbed.

Link couldn't comprehend what had happened. He had obviously won, but what had happened afterwards remained a mystery. And perhaps Impa would be able to shed some light on the subject once she woke up. Maybe he would never find out just what had happened.

But that could wait. It could all wait.

For now, Link was content with simply placing a light kiss on the Sheikah's cheek, before lying down by her side again.

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and the story from start to end!


End file.
